It is claimed the dad-of-two paid up to £7 for sex, gave four alleged victims bikes and collected snaps of the youngsters naked in his bath.

Sheppard was photographed with the two lads while under surveillance by investigators from a children’s charity before police moved in.

He was charged with indecent acts on three boys aged 12-15 and sent to Siem Reap provincial jail.

A judge then granted his lawyer’s plea to free him on bail due to his age and ill health. His trial is expected to start in the next few months.

Cambodia’s high levels of poverty and corruption make it a magnet for expatriate paedophiles.

Paedophile: Gary Glitter (Photo: Steve Parsons/PA Wire)

Among them was British pop star Gary Glitter , 71, thrown out in 2002 for suspected child abuse. He had fled there from the UK after being caught in 1997 with 4,000 sick images on his computer of kids being sexually abused.

Several other Brits convicted of paedophilia crimes in Cambodia have included David Fletcher, from Norwich, for raping slum children.

Cops were alerted to Sheppard by the child protection group Action Pour Les Enfants. Its lawyers are talking to two of his alleged young victims and trying to trace others. The group’s Deputy ­director of field ­operations Khoem Vando claimed: “He bought kids bikes and offered them money.”

Sheppard is believed to have been in Cambodia for a year after going there to live. His UK passport expired three months ago.

In its 12 years APLE has helped Cambodia’s police arrest 320 abuse suspects – many sex tourists from Europe, including Britain – and aided the rescue of nearly 700 kids.

Mr Vando said: “Countries should do more to bring back their convicted citizens and monitor them.”